title: Thrombus volume is similar in patients with ruptured and intact abdominal aortic aneurysms.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Most abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) contain intraluminal thrombus (ILT), which has been demonstrated to contain proteolytic enzymes and proinflammatory cytokines implicated in AAA progression and rupture. In animal models, anticoagulants have been shown to limit AAA progression. Whether ILT plays a role in AAA rupture is unknown. The aim of this study was to compare the volume of ILT in patients with ruptured and intact AAAs.
  
  
  METHODS
  We matched by maximum axial diameter alone, on a 1:2 basis, 28 patients with ruptured AAAs and 56 patients with intact AAAs. Total infrarenal aortic volume and ILT volume were measured from computed tomography angiograms using a previously validated and reproducible semiautomated workstation protocol. Clinical risk factors were also recorded. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare ILT volumes between patients with ruptured and intact AAAs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Median (interquartile range [IQR]) maximum AAA diameter (84.0 [77.5-93.9] mm vs 82.6 [77.1-93.3] mm; P = .769) and median (IQR) total AAA volume (372.8 [277.4-486.1] cm(3) vs 358.4 [289.1-563.4] cm(3); P = .977) were similar in patients with ruptured and intact AAAs. Median (IQR) AAA ILT volume was similar in patients with ruptured (152.7 [84.8-252.4] cm(3)) and intact (180.1 [89.9-254.8] cm(3); P = .414) AAAs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that ILT volume is not different in ruptured and intact AAAs.
authors.affiliation: The Vascular Biology Unit, Queensland Research Centre for Peripheral Vascular Disease, School of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia; Department of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, The Townsville Hospital, Townsville, Australia; University of Queensland School of Medicine and Centre for Clinical Research, Brisbane, Australia. Electronic address: jonathan.golledge@jcu.edu.au.
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Golledge
authors.affiliation: University of Queensland School of Medicine and Centre for Clinical Research, Brisbane, Australia.
authors.forename: Vikram
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Iyer
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Surgery, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Brisbane, Australia.
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jenkins
authors.affiliation: The Vascular Biology Unit, Queensland Research Centre for Peripheral Vascular Disease, School of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bradshaw
authors.affiliation: The Vascular Biology Unit, Queensland Research Centre for Peripheral Vascular Disease, School of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia.
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Cronin
authors.affiliation: The Vascular Biology Unit, Queensland Research Centre for Peripheral Vascular Disease, School of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia; University of Queensland School of Medicine and Centre for Clinical Research, Brisbane, Australia; Department of Vascular Surgery, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Brisbane, Australia.
authors.forename: Philip J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Walker
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001019:Aortic Rupture / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D001027:Aortography / Q000379:methods*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D061330:Multidetector Computed Tomography; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology